In a scene straight out of a bollywood flick, on Tuesday a 26-year-old youth brandished a pistol at cops stationed at a barricade on the road dividing Sector 50 and 51, before firing five rounds. The shooter was accompanied by a friend. The barricade was set up near the high security Burail Jail in the wake of the approaching Republic Day.
The youngsters were overpowered and taken into custody. The police said Nitin Preet Brar, who brandished the weapon and fired, is an under-graduate student and a resident of Ishar Singh Wala village in Barnala. His friend Gurpreet, belongs to a farming family of Bhador village in the same district. This is the second such incident of lawlessness involving youths from Barnala.
Just a month ago, youths from Barnala had opened fire on a car in Sector 22.The Tuesday incident happened at about 11.30am, soon after the Chandigarh Police launched their traffic safety week.
Giving details, station house officer (SHO) of Sector 34 Police Station Diwan Singh said the cops tried to stop the two youths who were traveling in a Bolero jeep. Initially, they did not stop the vehicle, and were intercepted a few meters away.
Police sources said that Brar was asked to show the registration papers of the vehicle and other documents.
Brar allegedly pulled out the pistol from the glove compartment of his vehicle that carried a VIP number, PUK-3, and trained it on constable Sandeep Kumar's head. Showing presence of mind, the cop lost no time in clasping him in a tight grip. Even as the cops held Brar, he opened fire with his .9mm pistol. In all four rounds were fired at the cops.
Police sources said that Brar was asked to show the registration papers of the vehicle and other documents.
Brar allegedly pulled out the pistol from the glove compartment of his vehicle that carried a VIP number, PUK-3, and trained it on constable Sandeep Kumar's head. Showing presence of mind, the cop lost no time in clasping him in a tight grip. Even as the cops held Brar, he opened fire with his .9mm pistol. In all four rounds were fired at the cops.
Meanwhile, cops Tehal Singh, Kuldeep Singh and Satyapal also jumped in the fray and overpowered Brar. The other youth, Gurpreet Singh, took out a baseball bat and tried to attack the cops. The duo was soon overpowered by the cops and the weapon was seized.
The police claimed that five live cartridges and four spent ones were recovered from the two. The police said the two were going towards SAS Nagar after grabbing a bite from an eating joint in Sector 35.
In an attempt to justify their action, the youths told the police that they were carrying the weapon without a licence. Apprehensive of being caught, they tried to flee from the spot. The two Nitin Preet Barar and Gurpreet have been booked for attempt to murder under Section 307 of the IPC; assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty under Section 353 of the IPC; and under the Arms Act in the Sector-34 police station.
The incident has once again brought to fore the lawlessness unleashed by people from outside the city. A substantial number of incidents of lawlessness, including brawls and firing, involved outsiders in the recent past.